Australian Lingo

Sooooo I've been meaning to write a post about this for a while. I was really keen during my final exams.... but I decided that was not the time.... I will try to regain the vigor.

Soo Australian English is full of slang (as in I received a slang dictionary from Uni Adelaide AND St. Marks). And though I read these.... they really weren't much help.

1). Australian entails taking a short word and making it shorter. This includes, but not limited to: Breakfast- Brekkie (and adding ie to everything... bikkie, trackies, cabbie, barbie, footie, sunnies etc), Afternoon - Arvo.  Mozie -= mosquito, vego = vegetarian.

1a) These are used in a official sense as in Burger King (here Hungry Jacks) advertises "brekky at 7)

2). They need more words. It gets very confusing. Tea ,though usually dinner, can be lunch (afternoon tea) or actual tea. The famous Chip v. Chip debate. (ie hot chips or crisps in the attempt for clarification.... though mix ups are not uncommon). Torch instead of flashlight (you can imagine how shocked I was when first day I was told to 'keep a torch next to my bed). The Biscuit v. Biscuit (sweet biscuit = cookie.... though cookie is really catching on and savory biscuit instead of cracker.) A larger variety of words would save a lot of trouble.... but that would be too much mouth movement.

3). Slang can be super platonic or super sexual. Be careful... especially rooted (its supposed to mean exhausted .... but you can see other connotations)

4). It not uncommon for people to comment on how "stralian" or "bogan" based on the amount and what buzzwords they use... some are much more country.... think Crocodile Hunter on one end of the spectrum.

5). Some words are just like us.... except butchered beyond compare. IE. Tomato (toMAto) sauce, any japanese company (hyundi, nisson), Aluminum (al-lu-MIN-i-um) 

6). Their common words are our uncommon words. We use them... but not to the extent. Includes: keen, heaps, reckon, cheers, top-quality (to describe a person) , spew, cooking (as is somebody is very drunk) ,

6a) or use american words differently aka pissed = very drunk.

7) Some favorite phrases... A fair go = a chance, far out = NO WAY or SHIT THAT SUCKS or  VERY BUSY, Rugged up = bundled up, chunder= throw up, chunder train = somebody who due to drinking is going to vomit soon, gone bush = peaced into the wilderness, top bloke, and of course "She'll be right" = no worries, it'll work out, fuck it I'm over it. Good on ya = "general term of approval" as quoted by the dictionary. Rock up = to arrive/show up, walkabout (wandering around ... also  when a drunk person disappears , woop woop = up in the middle of nowhere Australia - american translation boonies or shitsville .

8). Some are impossible to get without a definition. Ie Esky = cooler. Icy pole = popsicle (you'd think I'd get that... but with the accent its tricky) , op shop = thrift store, snag = prawns,

9). They use (or shorten) official names of things as names. Very Classy As in Utility truck (our pickup truck sorta) is a Ute and the gas station is instead a petrol station, napkin = serviette

10) or the british names as in Jumper (sweater) and runners (sneakers) or loo (or more commonly here "toliet"... not restroom.... a bit crude i'd say)

11) Saying Mate is not a sterotype. It's also a beneficial way to cover not knowing somebodies name.


Thats all I can think of atm... :)